Teacher training and professional development
Teacher training should focus less on building technical proficiency within teachers by training them how to use the computer and software applications. It should focus more on developing curriculum and thinking how to effectively implement technology into a teacher's repertoire. Therefore, professional development should focus on the pedagogy of integrating technology, not just exposing teachers to technology tools.
As a school, we feel that professional development in technology must be targeted as a primary school-wide goal for a year or two in order for it to be effective. Teachers need training with continuous, ongoing support and evaluation during this time period.
Technology standards
We recommend that the district should adopt standards associated with technology integration and use to ensure that students are prepared for life in the 21st century. Technology provides students with the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed and compete in the professional world. However, with the adoption of these standards, it would require districts to fund them appropriately. Money could be reallocated from the frequency of textbook adoptions. If teachers are using technology to supplement their curriculum, this would be an alternative to adopting new textbooks every seven years.
Budget
There is already existing technology in our schools which needs to be supported and developed. We would like every school in the district to have a library-media specialist to support existing and new technologies. This is what we think money should be budgeted for to support technologies for teaching and learning. The role of this specialist would be to support teachers with implementation of technology into the curriculum as well as troubleshooting with technical issues. Ideally, this would alleviate teachers of having to be the "technicians" and give room for teachers to focus on teaching and learning. The specialist would give more individualized attention to teachers and help them meet their technological and pedagogical needs. Hopefully, this will create a group of teacher-leaders within a school that could model examples of how to effectively integrate technology.
According to research, the lower ratio of the number of students to the number of computers the more beneficial the use of technology is for instruction. Thus, we would like to increase the number of computers in each classroom.
Teacher training should focus less on building technical proficiency within teachers by training them how to use the computer and software applications. It should focus more on developing curriculum and thinking how to effectively implement technology into a teacher's repertoire. Therefore, professional development should focus on the pedagogy of integrating technology, not just exposing teachers to technology tools.
As a school, we feel that professional development in technology must be targeted as a primary school-wide goal for a year or two in order for it to be effective. Teachers need training with continuous, ongoing support and evaluation during this time period.
Technology standards
We recommend that the district should adopt standards associated with technology integration and use to ensure that students are prepared for life in the 21st century. Technology provides students with the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed and compete in the professional world. However, with the adoption of these standards, it would require districts to fund them appropriately. Money could be reallocated from the frequency of textbook adoptions. If teachers are using technology to supplement their curriculum, this would be an alternative to adopting new textbooks every seven years.
Budget
There is already existing technology in our schools which needs to be supported and developed. We would like every school in the district to have a library-media specialist to support existing and new technologies. This is what we think money should be budgeted for to support technologies for teaching and learning. The role of this specialist would be to support teachers with implementation of technology into the curriculum as well as troubleshooting with technical issues. Ideally, this would alleviate teachers of having to be the "technicians" and give room for teachers to focus on teaching and learning. The specialist would give more individualized attention to teachers and help them meet their technological and pedagogical needs. Hopefully, this will create a group of teacher-leaders within a school that could model examples of how to effectively integrate technology.
According to research, the lower ratio of the number of students to the number of computers the more beneficial the use of technology is for instruction. Thus, we would like to increase the number of computers in each classroom.